Religious Education for Youth
JCOR is thrilled to announce our new religious school, a collaboration with Heska Amuna Synagogue in Knoxville. HAOR Academy will begin with grades Kindergarten through Fourth Grade in the 2026-2027 school year. Meeting on Sunday mornings from 9:30 – 12:30. HAOR will serve families from both synagogues as well as unaffiliated families in the Knoxville/Oak Ridge area.
HAOR is Hebrew for “the light” as well as standing for Heska Amuna/Oak Ridge. At HAOR we will shine a light on Jewish tradition, religion, culture, and history. We’ll teach Hebrew language to prepare learners to read and understand Jewish prayer in order to become full participants in synagogue life. We’ll implement methods of integrated experiential learning to explore Jewish text, values, history, and mitzvot through the lens of the innovative Jewish Heroes curriculum.
This curricular approach, developed originally in New England and expanded to other areas of the country, teaches a variety of subjects through the lens of both biblical and historical characters we call “Giborim” or “Heroes.” Jewish identity is strengthened as students learn about Jewish scientists, philosophers, musicians, and others who made contributions that lit the way forward, changing the world for the better.
Dale Rosenberg
Anna Iroff Bailey
Two experienced local educators have been hired as co-directors of HAOR: Dale Rosenberg and Anna Iroff-Bailey. Dale is a freelance educator teaching at a variety of settings in the area and Anna is the PJ Library coordinator for our area, as well as a key member of the professional staff at the Arnstein Jewish Community Center in Knoxville.
HAOR will meet at Heska Amuna for the fall semester and JCOR for the spring semester. Generous donations are keeping tuition costs low: $450 a year with discounts for Heska and JCOR members and for multiple children in a family attending the school.
Dale and Anna are excited to be planning this new endeavor and are eager to engage with prospective families to tell you more about their backgrounds, skills, and vision for the school. They are also happy to help you register your children. Dale can be reached at daleqr@gmail.com and Anna at anna.iroff@gmail.com.
The first class of HAOR’s first year will be Sunday August 16, 2026.